Tourism in Dubai
Tourism in Dubai is an important part of the Dubai government's strategy to maintain the flow of foreign dollars into the emirate. Dubai's lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping, but also on its possession of other ancient and modern attractions.
Dubai is the most populous emirate of the seven emirates of United Arab Emirates(UAE). It is distinct from other members of the UAE in that revenues from oil account for only 6% of its gross domestic product. A majority of the emirate's revenues are from the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) and now, increasingly, from tourism.
Transportation connections
Dubai International Airport
Dubai’s location at the cross-roads of Europe, Asia and Africa makes for easy accessibility. Most capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai, More than 80 airlines operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 130 destinations, making it one of the worlds busiest. Dubai is also the home base of Emirates Airline, international airline of the UAE, which operates scheduled services to more than 80 destinations.
Entry regulations
Most travelers need to obtain a Visit Visa prior to entering Dubai. However, citizens (and some residents) of Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and citizens of a number of states in Europe and elsewhere (including Australia and New Zealand) can get an entry permit stamped in their passport upon arrival, good for up to 90 days. Visitors from other nationalities require the sponsorship of any U.A.E. resident or any company or hotel licensed to operate within the U.A.E. and are limited to a 30-day stay.
Shopping tourism
Dubai has been called the "shopping capital of the Middle East. The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Dubai is known for its souk districts. Souk is the Arabic word for market or place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. Traditionally, dhows from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargos and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. Dubai's most atmospheric shopping is to be found in the souks, located on either side of the creek, where bargaining is part of the buzz.
Modern shopping malls and boutiques are also found in the city. Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using Dubai International Airport.
While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets may operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation as a way of life.
Dubai Shopping Festival
The Dubai Shopping festival is a month-long festival held during month of January each year, During the festival the entire emirate becomes one massive shopping mall. Additionally, the festival brings together music shows, art exhibitions, and folk dances.
Cultural tourism
Sightseeing usually comes as a poor second for most visitors, lured by Dubai's reputation as a shopping paradise.
Aspects of Dubai's old culture, while occasionally overshadowed by the boom in economic development, can be found by visiting places around the creek, which splits Dubai into two halves, Bur Dubai and Deira. The buildings lining the Bur Dubai side of the Creek provides the main flavor of the old city. Heritage Village offers a simulacrum of old Dubai. The adjoining Diving Village offers exhibits on pearl diving and fishing. The Diving Village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire "Shindagha" area into a cultural city, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by.
Other attractions include the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House; the Dubai Museum in the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was erected around 1799; and the Heritage Village of Hatta, situated 115 kilometers southeast of Dubai City in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains. The history of the village can be traced back 2000 - 3000 years. It consists of 30 buildings, each differing in size, interior layout and building materials used. Great care was taken to use the same materials as those used when originally built during the renovation such as mud, hay, sandalwood and palm fronds. The Sharia Mosque is an old mosque built around 200 years ago using the same building materials and consists of a large prayer hall, a court and courtyard, minaret and other utility rooms.
Tourist accommodation in Dubai is plentiful and relatively expensive with all the major chains having a presence. One increasingly popular alternative is for visitors to rent apartments and villas on a short term basis.
